Seizure of Ataecina
The Seizure of Ataecina formally began in early 3201 by House Lyra. Then known as Yanaratso, the planet had not had the formal backing of any individual House for quite some time. Several key events occurred during the formal three months of seizure. Historians have taken to recording the events, adding to texts as additional information is discovered through various means. Tekitai-teki baishū During the seizure of the planet formerly known as Yanaratso, House Lyra started a large scale housing market offensive, which they called the Tekitai-teki baishū - the hostile takeover. With this offensive House Lyra gained access to and ultimately control over various important districts of the mega-city covering the surface of the planet. Apart from straight up buying housing from their owners multiple different methods were used. Buying empty Houses, abandoned by the owners, either thought dead or infected. With the help of House Crux lawyers, loopholes in contracts were found to dispossess owners of businesses and homes. Rumors have it that some very resistant owners suddenly disappeared. House Lyra, when asked, said they weren’t sure what happened, but speculated it might have had something to do with the illness that is plaguing the planet. The Ombrezil Flower Festival During House Lyra’s seize of the planet formerly known as Yanaratso there was a festival known as the Ombrezil. This festival was held in honour of the beautiful plant life that grows on the planet that would be impossible to grow on Orpheus. Organized by various members of House Lyra, a prominent part of the Ombrezil was the focus on floriography, as well the various uses of the plants on the former Yanaratsto. During the Festival both Lyrans and the people of the former Yanaratso learnt from one another growing the sense of companionship that was beginning to grow between the two peoples. The Ombrezil is remembered as a horticultural exchange between House Lyra and the planet that was once of Yanaratso. The behind-the-scenes of the Festival were not as innocent as a simple cultural festival however, largely organized by members of the Field of Shadows the Festival was used as a method to both uncover information about the populace as well as scout for potential members of the Field. As the Festival occured members of the Field used the goodwill earned to become closer to those who had participated and become trusted confidants. Even more practically Roses of the Field also used the Festival to learn about the poisonous properties of the plants of the former Yanaratso. The connections created during this time established a strong presence of the Field of Shadows within Hadikana. The Ombrezil Flower Festival was organized in an extremely short amount of time, this was accomplished by using supplies appropriated by House Lyra from the homes of former Cygnus nobles either left or forcibly abandoned. While using the supplies for the Ombrezil, the Field of Shadows was also given the custody of any secrets found within. ' ' The Flooding of the Gates During the Lyran seizure of the planet formerly known as Yanaratso, a series of concerts were arranged across the planet. Famous Hekate and Merets of note were shipped to the planet on a weekly basis to perform for the populace. Norahushi of the planet were invited to private performances, mostly headlined by Hekate, where they were given the chance to feel accepted by the House looking to take control of the day to day business of the planet. Arranged by Spirit, spread by Shadow, and protected by Storm, the series, later known as The Flooding of the Gates, were used to not only unite the populace in a cultural banner, but also show the lack of threat both the infected and House Lyra presented to society at large. The performances were spread across various city sectors of the planet, each one scouted well in advance to ensure the optimal venue attendance and setting. Tickets were priced not for financial gain, but rather for increased accessibility as House Lyra looked spread its influence to as many minds as possible. More calculating members of the Spirit Academia made quick use of patron information to begin the spread of interest in future events and various forms of paraphernalia relating to the performers. With each passing event, locals found more Lyran based merchandise appearing. Some noble families, quick on the uptake of what was coming, even sought to pledge their allegiance to the House in hopes of avoiding being swept away. Behind the scenes, scouts took notes on where the Spirit Academia could best set up their future base of operations on the planet. While the Flooding would be known as a cooperative effort, it was no secret in the House who sought to most take advantage of it. The success of the series made it a worthwhile effort nevertheless. The Flooding did not go without issue however. One key event occurring during the second month’s efforts. Whispers of families who grew happy with their independence of House influence reached the ears of organizers. The leadership of House Lyra, the Shuken Roku, were soon informed and the second month was quickly scheduled with each of the families invited to attend alongside the six leaders themselves. Representatives of the families were later found scattered throughout the Bazaar. Official stories dictate they refused to acknowledge just how they got there or why they had been missing for several days after the concert. Their whispers soon ended. In the final week of the Flooding, the largest of the concerts took place. Effectively a large scale cultural festival, artists of Yanaratso were invited to perform alongside Merets of House Lyra before Hekate took the stage. Unlike other events, infected humans were secretly invited to join the festivities with the intention of showing that humanity could still remain connected. VIP meet and greets, master classes, and more were scheduled during a 2 day period of time, culminating in a massive multi-Hekate set. Reports state that crowds were heard throughout Fantaisena and its surrounding area over the course of the event and multiple “afterparties” carried on for a number of days after the concert’s end. Silent Siege Even prior to House Lyra’s efforts to bring the planet under its control, the planet then known as Yanaratso was home to multiple people who sought to keep tight control over some city sectors. Many outright refused to come to talks and while it was possible to eventually find some avenue to force action, there were some who held out and even planned to take up arms against the actions of Lyra. While Shadow and Spirit were tasked with handling the more available troublemakers, the Draw of the Storm was quickly assigned the duty of quitely handling the problem. The Silent Siege began early in the seizure efforts. With multiple targets selected in the weeks leading up to the operation, House Lyra gathered numerous citizens, both noble and common. A team of 30 individuals were selected and placed under the command of 5 Keepers. While some were known to one another, reports from the team members and collected texts have revealed growing pains in the early stages of the operation. Recon work began almost immediately. With the city sectors designed completely differently than Orphean mountain cities, tacticians were hard pressed to adapt traditional Lyran strategies to their new surroundings. The more ruined portions of sectors quickly proved to be more dangerous than expected. Within the first two weeks, the operation was nearly aborted numerous times as eyes fell onto select team members all too quickly. More diplomatic members of the unit often worked without much rest to not only gain information, but also settle potential issues. The Silent Siege began in proper one month after the team’s arrival. Pinpointing three noble holdouts, the Lyran team recruited a large number of commoners on the surface. The commoners, promised new hope and opportunities under Lyran leadership, were given inconspicuous tasks that increased Lyran influence and leverage over various city sectors. By the month’s end, House Lyra had managed to spread into the domain of all three problematic nobles. Groups of commoners were led by their comrades from Orpheus and given strict noble protection, proving the gamble of a mixed team quite worthwhile for the less militaristic and more tactical House Lyra. However, while Silent, the siege was far from bloodless. Given forgiveness in the eyes of the After, the task force was given full permission to take enemy life if it meant the success of the mission. Day after day, more people were either won over or removed from the equation, either by submission or force. Supplies were drained from the land as the siege team pressed the nobles without mercy. They were to be made into examples. Splitting into three teams of ten, the team launched a night assault on the homes of each noble. Three of the Keeper leaders went with the teams while two stayed behind with the commoners recruited on Yanaratso. The Silent Siege turned into a four point battle. Numbers of casualties were not released, but the task force suffered no noble deaths and only two commoner fatalities. Both were given posthumous honors and their families looked after for their service to the Shuken Roku. The Silent Siege had gone unnoticed until the day after the final assault. Once loud voices had gone silent and once quite Lyrans were suddenly quite happy to show their faces. They wanted to make something very clear. To fall in line meant protection and salvation. To resist meant removal from Here by any means necessary. Nights of Song and Dance ' '''The Dance is a little known event that happened during the seize of the former Yanaratso, spanning over the various nights of the transitionary period. The Dance was mostly a collection of the Neshmet of House Lyra, the most religious of the house, meeting first with those infected with the disease that had hindered the planet. During these nightly meetings the Neshmet spoke to the infected population. They spoke to them of the After’s embrace, and its acceptance of them. As long as the infected accepted to ways of the After and House Lyra into their lives, the Neshmet spoke for hours at a time, they sang hymns and danced throughout the nights.' ''' On other nights, they spoke to those who weren’t sick, they gathered to populace for their song and dance, that was both warm and accepting to those who accepted the After and the House in turn. The Neshmet told the populace that they could still save those who had been afflicted, there was no need to grieve those who were still Here. They spoke for hours under the moonlight, they sang of the After that would come, and they danced with those who were Here. The songs they sang started as warm and inviting yet they also spoke of the haunting loneliness that would befall those that did not accept the After and House Lyra into their lives. Striking fear in the hearts of those who did not believe in their vision, those who attended those nights became the strongest believers in the Truth of House Lyra. The attendees of these nights would never forget the beauty and terror of these nights. Category:House Lyra Category:History Category:Ataecina